Annual Kegger Awards: As usual, the boys baskeball season left a lot for us to remember

Looking back on another memorable winter spent inside our area's high school gyms.

March 22, 2013|Keith Groller

Sometimes I wonder why the contestants on "Dancing with the Stars" work so hard when all that's at stake is the mirror ball trophy that looks as if it can be purchased at the local dollar store.

And then I think about the Kegger Awards, my annual salute to the people, places and things that make the high school boys basketball scene so special each winter, and I again wonder why people care so much.

Because the Kegger Award winners don't even get something from the dollar store.

They get a little recognition for a job well done, and that seems enough motivation for them to ask me all winter long: "Hey, is this good enough for a Kegger?"

Last year, I gave the Kegger of the Year to the Freedom fan group the Riot Squad, who filled up the bleachers and seemed to energize the student body fan base across the Lehigh Valley.

This year, my Kegger of the Year goes to all of the scorekeepers who embraced the official's jersey they had to wear at home games.

Some looked better than others in stripes, like my buddy Bob Trinkle, the veteran Central Catholic scorekeeper who looked as if he were ready to grab a whistle and do his best Jack Keiter imitation.

Trinkle has always wanted to be an official ever since George Krell made that fifth foul call on Billy McCaffrey in the 1989 PIAA 3A title game, but that's another story for another time.

Also seeing Pocono Mountain West's Bill Pensyl in a striped shirt provided a touch of irony, considering all of the "conversations" he had with the guys in black-and-white when he was on the Bangor sidelines all of those years.

So the scorekeepers, as a collective group, are to be saluted.

And so are the players, coaches, trainers, administrators, cheerleaders, dance team members, timers, janitors and especially the fans who make high school hoops so much fun.

Here's a look at the best of 2012-13:

Best game: Parkland 90, Liberty 78 on Jan. 8 at Memorial Hall. For once, I didn't hear people begging for a shot clock, which, by the way, hasn't exactly boosted scoring in many college games I see.

Best finish: Dan Reichenbach's 35-foot jumper that gave Salisbury a 57-55 win in the District 11 3A quarterfinals and Wilson a crushing, sudden end to its season.

Best performance by team: Parkland's overall hustle and team play in its 65-60 District 11 4A title win over Freedom.

Best performance by individual: Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman had a bunch of competitors, but his scoring 37 against a quality team like Liberty on Jan. 15 showed he truly is a cut above.

Biggest disappointment: Allen and Dieruff. The Canaries at least made districts, but I was more disappointed in how some of the players reacted to adversity. Doug Snyder has done too much good for that program to ever be disrespected. And the Huskies got a lot of people excited by what they did in the summertime but posted their third straight 5-17 season.

Most unique experience: Covering a Lincoln Leadership-Pius X game in Roseto and having to climb a ladder to reach the stage where the scorer's table is stationed for Royals games.

Worst experience: The white-knuckler I had in driving from Easton to Bangor for the Slaters' game against Catasauqua on Feb. 1 when Mother Nature dumped about three inches of snow on the Slate Belt and caused Route 611 to be shut down and me to be re-routed through the wilderness near Martins Creek.

Best new District 11 place to visit: Believe it or not, I had never been to Pocono Mountain West before this season. Got good treatment and it was nice of three deer to jump in front of me as I left the parking lot as if to say goodbye and remind me to drive safely.

Best new non-District 11 place to visit: William Tennent High School in Warminster, where a friendly face with Valley connections made sure I felt right at home. That would be Biz Keeny, who played local baseball and softball around here for many years.

Best old place to visit: That would be the Giant Center in Hershey this weekend for the state finals. This is a boys column, but kudos to the Bethlehem Catholic girls for getting the Lehigh Valley represented on the final night of the season.

Worst old place to visit: Reading's Geigle Complex. The building is still nice and the people are friendly, but CCHS became about the 40th local team in the past 32 years to have its season end there.

Best sight: Seeing former Whitehall coach and longtime RCN commentator Dick Tracy wearing an apron while manning the grill on a Monday afternoon at Potts' Hot Dogs shop in Northampton. I asked Tracy, "What do you recommend?" He said without batting an eye: "Go to Yocco's."

Best food: The homemade stuff provided by Easton's Elaine Arnts at district games.

Best program: The freebies handed to me by Mr. Zajko at every Parkland home game.

Best national anthem: The one delivered on the cello by Allen freshman player Mardochee Dade.

Best pregame music: Still love the live music provided by the Parkland jazz band.